The kings of Popcore, SET YOUR GOALS, oft drawing on the essence of B-side wonderment, idol ideals and a lifetime of hitting highways, are adept at presenting their stories in series of can’t-press-pause grooves. Mitts at the ready because the time has come for the drop of their hotly anticipated third album ‘Burning At Both Ends’.
All of the Set Your Goals charm, beefy beatdowns, infectious gang vocals and booty shaking hooks are present and create a melange of good time vibes. Other than the dream-sequenced ‘London Heathrow’, the message behind the songs isn’t particularly cryptic but does run deeper than your average pop-punk record – cathartically taking on fame vs. infamy, family woes and on the road reality through ‘Cure For Apathy’, ‘Unconditional’ and ‘Trenches’ respectively.
Lashings of snappy percussion deal out audio uppers until the final morsel of this baker’s dozen; even would-be ballads don’t stand a chance of evading the San Francisco pep. Though the sextet chuck in the obligatory tale of boy-likes-girl, they’ve the benefit of their years to trade angst ridden whinging for qualities more coherent and light hearted. In inimitable style they twist it up, keeping the fable fresh and leaving us salivating as ‘The Last American Virgin’ jovially skips towards infallible ‘Product Of The 80’s’.
A touch short of an hour, the testosterone fueled explosion will leave you in a mystified muddle. Do you sing at the top of your lungs, throw some manic shapes, start a head-banging circle pit or all of the above? There is a right answer (hint: listen to ‘Certain’).
JESSICA ACREMAN